US Senator Ted Cruz has introduced a new bill seeking to sanction Nigerian government officials accused of facilitating the killing and persecution of Christians in the country.
The proposed legislation, titled the “Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025,” aims to protect what Cruz described as “persecuted Christians” in Nigeria.
According to the senator, the bill would impose targeted sanctions on any Nigerian official found enforcing Sharia or blasphemy laws. It also directs the US Secretary of State to officially label Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” on matters of religious freedom.
Additionally, the legislation seeks to ensure that Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) remain on the list of entities “of particular concern” for ongoing acts of religious violence.
Cruz introduced the bill in early September, just weeks before President Donald Trump signed a memo identifying ideologies viewed as anti-American, anti-Christian, and anti-capitalist as forms of domestic terrorism.
The development comes amid growing concerns over alleged anti-Christian violence and persecution in Nigeria, which the Nigerian government has consistently denied.
On Friday, Cruz renewed calls for the passage of his bill, citing reports that over 5,000 residents fled Borno State into neighbouring Cameroon after Boko Haram militants captured the border town of Kirawa.
“Officials in Nigeria are ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists,” Cruz alleged. “It’s time to hold those responsible accountable.
My Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act would target these officials with powerful sanctions and other tools.”
The senator’s comments have sparked renewed debate over the US role in Nigeria’s religious conflict and the credibility of such allegations.
Meanwhile, a legislative impasse in Washington has led to a temporary US government shutdown, stalling Cruz’s proposal for now.
The Nigerian government has not yet officially responded to the senator’s latest remarks.